Why is my dog licking her dew claw? Will it heal on its own?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | spayed | 1 year and 10 months old | 45 lbs
Good evening! My dog has been licking her dew claw for a few days. She won’t let me touch it; but she walks fine, and it doesn’t appear to be swollen or bleeding. Will this heal on its own? I’ve attached a photo of the tender claw as well as a photo of her healthy claw for comparison. Thank you!
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 15th, 2018
Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This will likely heal on its own if you are able to keep her from licking at it. You can try using an e-collar to prevent further self trauma. Good luck and have a good night!
9Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on May 10th, 2018
Some dogs have dew claws that are always hanging off because they are none articulated. it could also be because he hurt himself as dew claws often get caught in things. if it is definitely something that happened recently then you should take him to the vet ASAP in order to get it treated, either way i would recommend to have such a dew claw remove because it can cause a lot of problems in the future.
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on February 6th, 2018
I'm so sorry to hear this happened to Cowboy. The dewclaw will not come off on it's own. I suggest you get him to a vet for an exam. It is obviously painful for him so at least they can prescribe some pain medicine for him. If he keeps licking it then it may become infected causing a worse problem. The vet can examine the claw and determine what needs to be done (which may be nothing; I cannot tell from the photo). Hope this helps. Best wishes.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on March 10th, 2018
It looks like Penny broke her nail. I would recommend that you take her to a vet to have it examined. Depending on the location of the break and the tissue underneath, sometimes they can do a quick yank to remove the nail and other times they need to be sedated so the nail can be cut off short. Occasionally they need bandaging, antibiotics, or anti-inflammatories to help with healing. Until she sees the vet, make sure she doesn’t lick, since that can spread bacteria.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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